Blacksmith Cycle

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For those of you Baum fans who wanted more knowledge of how Darren creates some of the world's finest metal bicycles, feast your eyes on the Baum workshop:
For more, read the full report here.
Happy Long Weekend,
The Blacksmith Crew

[caption id="attachment_1216" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="6/4 Titanium dropouts are some of the finest we've seen and even say "Passoni""][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1214" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="Cinelli carbon bar and stem are painted to match the colour scheme"][/caption]
The Ratings…
Ride-quality/Comfort: 9/10 – great at dampening vibrations, with a nuanced road feel
Front-end Stiffness: 10/10 – as stiff as any Pro-Tour front-end, without being harsh
BB Stiffness: 9/10 – massive tubes + titanium BB shell = rock solid
Style/Aesthetics: 9/10 – polarizing for sure, but I'm in the "love it" camp
Technology/Weight/Value: 7/10 – undeniably pricey, but so is a Bugatti Veyron
Total = 45/50 – arguably the finest multi-material bike on the planet
[caption id="attachment_1225" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="We can also stay classy with Bora One wheels and FMB tubulars"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1209" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="Hand-painted components help make this a very special package"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1215" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="Fizik Kurve Chameleon - the latest and greatest, for major comfort - with an FSA cappy"][/caption]
The Good: There is something undeniably special about a Passoni, even in a shop full of bike art. The hand-finished titanium dropouts, the paint-job that looks like it belongs in the Uffizi Gallery, and simple manner in which the round tubes come together make this a bike that people often say is the nicest they have ever seen. Add in the Passoni artisanal approach and, well, you get what you pay for.
The Bad: Definitely a stiff and race-worthy bike, but who would race something so beautiful? There are also Passoni options (such as the Nero, or Top Genesis) that would be more comfortable as a daily driver. For those who are looking for top notch stiffness without the harshness of a typical monocoque, this Nero XL is the one.
The Skinny: Other than perhaps a bike from Baum crew, this is pretty much the pinnacle of bicycle construction. Sold as frame-sets or frame "kits" [with matching bar, stem, cages, saddle and leather bar-tape], Luciano Passoni's dream of building bikes that meet the standard of "beauty and perfection" is still very much alive.
[caption id="attachment_1212" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="Integrated seat posts on carbon bikes are always good looking, but this one is GORGEOUS "][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1213" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="RAM cages share the same two-tone brown that reminds us of shag carpeting"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1226" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="Nero XL ain't afraid of no graffiti ghost!"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1211" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="Looks fast and Italian like a Ferrari but rides more like a civilized Aston Martin"][/caption]
Click HERE for the 2012 Passoni collection, HERE for the 2012 catalogue or contact us for more info!